THE centuries-old Georgetown Prison on Camp Street may soon be closed, as its population has already been reduced, according to Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

“I don’t know whether we’ll shut it down totally yet, but the idea is soon most of the prisoners will be out of there, so we have not made a formal decision as yet, but it seems as though it’s heading that way,” the Vice President told a press conference on Thursday last.

Emphasising that “no decision” has been made on the matter yet, the Vice President noted that the “locking down” of the prison area has affected businesses in the surrounding area.

Overcrowding in various prison facilities across the country has been a longstanding concern and has worsened over the years, especially at the Georgetown penitentiary. Poor conditions and lengthy periods of incarceration without trial for prisoners on remand have contributed to the issue.

The prison was built to house around 600 inmates, but it has significantly exceeded that total and, over the years, there have been several incidents at the facility.

Recently, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) reported a 19 per cent increase in the prison population at the end of 2022. The prison service now houses an additional 736 prisoners than it did in 2021, with a total of 1,880 persons imprisoned at various penitentiaries across the country.

To improve facilities and training for inmates to ensure proper reintegration into society as productive individuals while curbing recidivism, the government has set aside $5.5 billion for the GPS this year.

The capital expenses for the GPS include upgrades to the Mazaruni, New Amsterdam, and Lusignan prisons to the tune of $2.1 billion, as well as $15 million for the purchase of vehicles. Additionally, $175 million has been set aside for the provision of furniture, tools, and equipment.

The Prison Headquarters will be housed at the new prison complex at Lusignan, where a ‘prison school’ is being built to facilitate the inmates’ training and education.

“That’s why we are building a modern prison. In that prison, we are building a school for compulsory schooling and a trade school too. Our party is open-minded and broad-minded. We believe people must be given second chances in life too. Of course, we have to be tough on crime, but at the same time, we have to give people pathways,” Dr. Jagdeo said.